Tales of City

There are many foreign companies in big cities of China, like Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. To apply for a job in such company, English skill is very important. Usually fluency in English is a must requirement.

Early this week, Julia had a telephone interview from Microsoft Shanghai, but she was unqualified in English. The position is to provide technical support across Asia, and both oral and written English is a mush precondition.

The experience is not an individual case. As we know, many positions in these kind of international enterprises in China do not only need to communicate with local customers, but also have to co-work with colleagues in other countries. Sometimes, these positions are not much technical, which makes the communication skill more important.

This can explain why English education in China has been treated essential from Universities to society. Besides we have to learn English through the whole education process, many people will join in some kinds of English training class after work. Thus, English and other languages training is a  hot industry in China.